sunday, bloody sunday
by AnonRyder23
Summary: Anna did what she could for her own survival, and ended up in an ill-fated relationship with a cannibal. When a chance at doing something right and earning a little bit of redemption she so craves, she snatches at it. But with death around every corner and bloody hands clawing down her door, how long can she fight a losing battle?
1. ONE

_Anna did what she could for her own survival, and ended up in an ill-fated relationship with a cannibal._

_When a chance at doing something right and earning a little bit of redemption she so craves, she snatches at it. _

_But with death around every corner and bloody hands clawing down her door, how long can she fight a losing battle?_

slight Gareth / OC

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><p><strong>ONE:<strong>

The group of Rick, Daryl, Glenn, and Bob were kneeling in front of the trough, their blood about to be spilled into it like others before them. The bodies next to Glenn were limp, blood done coming from their throats and down the chute. Their throats were slit as if they were animals.

And, perhaps, in this situation they _were_ only cattle.

The butcher stood at the side with a baseball bat in hand, his assistant next to him. Gareth stood with a clipboard in his hands, in front of the group, checking off things and making sure things were in order.

The group was hunched over the dirty trough, bound and gagged. Glenn was up next, and they started to feel defeat settle into their bones. Bob, at the other end beside Rick, was screaming through his gag, trying to get somebody to listen.

That was when a woman walked through the far door. Everyone turned to the blonde, whose eyes had widened when she entered. Her blue pools of ocean caught Rick's gaze and they stared at each other for a moment before she looked at Gareth.

She had never witnessed how the _food_ came to her plate, and she never did wish to witness it. She ate and bared it, knowing that a disgusted look would put her on the chopping block. Not to mention, if she ever wished to run away—she dared not even think of it.

"Gareth?" came her soft voice through chapped lips, her hands twitching for the knife or gun on her hip; a strike of humanity pulsing through her, but her hands returned to their sides on the instinct of survival.

Her voice sounded broken, weak, questioning. And above all, doubtful.

The group may have never known, as it was only a whisper in Terminus itself. No one announced it, because in this day and age, it didn't need to be announced. Gareth and the unidentified female had been lovers—were still lovers.

It started for her own survival, when at her month mark at Terminus she didn't know if she could take eating _humans_ any longer. She had hoped that Gareth would develop feelings for her and he would let his guard down.

This was not the case, because now, he looked out for her; loved her like a man should. And she would be lying if she said she didn't have her own feelings.

Gareth sighed, "Anna—"

The woman—Anna— raised an eyebrow, her lips forming a frown.

Gareth was about to respond, give her an excuse and send her away, but an explosion interrupted him from doing so.

Anna's head snapped in the direction of the noise, eyes flickering over the windows and finding no explanation.

"Stay here!" Gareth ordered her, before turning to a few others in the room. "Go! Find what's wrong!"

Gareth and the others he had ordered left, leaving the group, the butcher and his assistant, and Anna alone.

Anna bit her lip, eyes squinting in concentration. This act caused Rick to look at her curiously, but his underlying rage forced him to give the others a look.

She did not want these people to die, and now was her chance at some kind of redemption. She felt like an awful person for being a reason people had to _die_ to _feed_ her. Anna felt sick, her stomach churning and threatening to spill her breakfast all over the concrete floor.

Her mind had made a decision, but that didn't stop her heart from hurting. She forced herself to shake it off.

This was _the right _thing to do.

"Mark," started Anna, drawing the attention from everyone in the room. "I never really liked you."

Her voice sounded so plain, but so threatening. It had a poisonous bite to it, and for a second she looked like a viper ready to strike; her sharp features only adding to the deadliness in her expression. Mark had always made Anna feel uncomfortable, and whenever they spoke it often left a sour taste in her mouth.

Mark only had time to look Anna in the eye before her hand was at her hip. There was a blur after she grabbed her knife and in the next second, Mark was on the ground with a knife between his eyes.

The group stared at the body, then at Anna, mostly in bewilderment.

The assistant dropped his bat and went for the gun in his belt, but Anna was too fast for him. Her own pistol was in her hand and she fired, killing him.

Although Anna had never been great with guns since this whole thing went down, Gareth had been training her. That was probably the only reason she got her target; and it was ironic that it was the very skill that Gareth taught her that killed one of his men.

Anna lowered the gun, placing it back in its holster. She raced over and grabbed her knife from Mark's skull. She looked over at Rick, who had an Alpha-Male aura about him that made Anna assume he was their leader. She stepped closer, cautiously.

The people couldn't have been happy.

"I'm going to cut the binds." Anna told them steadily, her hands slightly raised.

She cut Rick's first, which allowed him to remove his gag, and then she quickly went down the rest of the line. She gazed sadly at the people she could not help, since she had arrived too late.

Rick, now, on his feet got defensive. The three other people-Daryl, Glenn and Bob-went to stand behind him. They stared at her, untrustingly.

"Look," she started, knowing full well she didn't deserve their trust yet; yet she unholstered her gun and handed it over to Rick in a manner of good faith. "I really don't wanna be here; it's wrong what they're doing. I could never leave because they'd catch me. I'll help you if you help me."

Rick frowned, playing with the gun in his hands. Daryl had went to grab the guns Mark and his assistant had, keeping one for himself and handing the other to Glenn.

"You have no reason to trust me." Anna said seriously. "But I can lead you out of here."

"Take us to our weapons and the train car we were in and you have a deal." Rick told her, the gun in his hand going to his side.

"Deal." she affirmed with a nod, shaking Rick's hand.


	2. TWO

**TWO:**

Anna flipped her knife in her hand, scanning a quick look over the group again before starting for the door. She knew she was going to have to act quickly and smartly if she was going to get both herself and the group out alive.

They ran down the hallway, towards where the weapons were usually stored. When Anna peered into the room she caught sight of one of Gareth's men-Joe-rushing towards her.

"Anna! What are you-" he was cut off by the knife being thrown at his throat.

"Didn't like you either." admitted Anna, pulling the knife from his throat with a cringe.

Rick cast a sideways glance at her, and Daryl did the same, only Daryl raised an eyebrow and opened his mouth to speak.

"Did you like anyone?" came Daryl's voice.

Anna looked over her shoulder at him before shrugging, "Not really. You do what you can to survive."

Daryl 'humphed' before Anna gestured to the weapons.

"Get what you need and let's go." Anna took a fearful glance at the side door, hoping no one would enter.

Everyone grabbed what was theirs and a few more things, before Anna led them outside.

What laid before her was a terrifying sight. Dead were walking inside the place she once thought was a sanctuary but ended up as a prison. Fires were raging up from different things and she caught sight of men racing about killing both the dead or escapees.

"This way." Anna whispered, jogging down towards the shadow of the buildings, knowing that it would be harder to spot them.

They killed what they met, having to duck at some points because more gunfire rang out, directed at the moving bodies.

"Shit." Anna suddenly cursed, her stomach falling into nervous knots. "I have to go get something. Continue down this path and you'll come across the train car. I wish you luck and maybe we'll meet again."

Anna gave them no time to respond before she crouched and ran back the way they had come, dodging the light to avoid being seen.

She made her way back into the building and towards the stairwell, where she was about to start running up when a voice stopped her.

"Anna!" It was Gareth, and he sounded relieved. "They didn't get you yet."

She turned on her heel, guilt building inside her heart. Here was the man she had betrayed for a bunch of strangers.

"Yeah," she was able to get out, her throat tightening. "they didn't get me yet."

Gareth smiled, and gave her a quick hug and kiss on the temple. "That group?"

Anna flushed, eyes darting away from his in attempt to come up with a lie. "There was a scream. I went to investigate. When I came back they were gone and Mark and Jay were dead."

Gareth frowned, his dark eyes hardening. "I won't let them take this place."

Anna nodded silently, unsure of to stay or to run. A part of her screamed to run up that staircase and get what she came in for and the other part insisted that she shouldn't move. Her mind swirled, unsure of what to do.

"I know." Anna swallowed thickly, her eyes finally meeting his. "I trust you."

Gareth's frown was replaced by a grin. It seemed that from the beginning he had gained her trust, and he took pride in have it; especially in this crazy mess of a world.

Suddenly, Anna threw her arms around Gareth's neck, holding him close. She tried not to cry, to keep her tears within herself as it would just give her away. She blinked hard, and only her glassy eyes were evidence of her tears.

"I love you, Gareth." she whispered into his neck, holding him tighter as if he would fade away.

Her situation was not any better, as she would lose Gareth in running away. She hated herself for it, but she also thankful that she was leaving Terminus. Besides Gareth, it had done nothing but bad things for her.

Confused, and mistaking her tenderness as fear, he whispered, "I love you, too, Annabelle."

Anna took a step back, looking into his eyes. With one shred of courage left, she kissed him full on the mouth, with all the love for him she could muster.

She knew she would have to let go.

Gareth pulled away first, and put their foreheads together. "We'll get through this."

Anna managed a small smile, not doubting him. "I know."

They stood together for a moment more before they regained a sense of what was going on around them.

"I'm going to get Jenny." said Anna, taking a step towards the stairs. "I'll meet up with you later." she lied.

Gareth nodded. "Stay safe."

"You, too."

And they parted ways, Gareth running towards the other end to get more weapons and to get to the rooftop and Anna to get Jenny.


	3. THREE

**THREE:**

Anna checked Jenny's room first, and thankfully the teenager was there, huddled in a corner. Jenny's arms were wrapped around her legs and she jumped when the door opened. These actions made Anna realize Jenny was terrified.

"Jenny?" Anna called quietly, crouching down so she didn't appear intimidating or scary.

Jenny looked up, blood smeared on her face which made Anna's heart nearly stop in worry. Jenny, as far as Anna knew, was very anal about being as clean as she could and this dirty mark made Anna's fear rise from zero to sixty.

"I-I'm sorry." Jenny cried in a tight voice, tears slipping down her cheeks and slightly smearing the blood.

Anna raised her eyebrows, and kneeled down in front of her. "Why?"

"I shouldn't have left!" Jenny sobbed. "I went outside, when I heard that explosion. Dead everywhere-I couldn't stop them!"

Anna's eyes widened, scanning the teenager's body. "Please, Jenny, are you-"

Jenny erupted in a new fit of tears, hiding her face in her knees again. Her arms tightened around her legs, almost defensively and Anna's breath caught when she saw the blood.

With strong hands, Anna ripped Jenny's arms away from her legs and pushed her legs down. This revealed more of her shirt, which was soaked in blood. Anna clenched her jaw and lifted Jenny's shirt just enough to show that she had been bitten.

Anna had an inkling when Jenny admitted she was sorry, but that didn't stop her from gasping and nearly falling backwards.

"Anna, please!" Jenny reached out to grab Anna's hands, but Anna merely stared, alarmed at them.

This was the girl Anna had saved before she arrived at Terminus. This was the girl Anna brought with her because she believed it was a sanctuary.

And now that was all slipping through her fingers.

Anna, horrified and overwhelmed, stared at the young girl. Her face was very pale now, Anna noticed, and even her usual pink lips seemed to have become paper white. And her eyes-oh her once bright green eyes-stared dully back at her, losing their once bright nature.

Anna swallowed, "Let's go."

"No, Anna, you have to kill me! Please, don't let me-"

"I won't kill you!" Anna growled at her, her eyebrows furrowing. "You'll be fine."

Even Anna knew that was a lie.

"It wasn't supposed to come to this," Jenny sniffled. "but since it has, I want it to be you, Anna."

Tears leaked from Anna's eyes, falling without permission down her cheeks. She opened her mouth momentarily, but nothing formed on her tongue and she was left with no words for Jenny.

"Anna,"

"I-I can't. Don't make me-"

"It's gotta be you." Jenny took a long, labored breath, her face greatly pained.

There was a ruckus outside, and heavy footfalls approaching. Fear ebbed to Anna's mind and seeped into her rationality and rendered her completely still.

Even when the door opened, and Jenny looked up fearfully, Anna did not move. There was a quiet gasp, and then a gun cocking.

That was when Anna's head snapped to the side to see Chris-one of Gareth's men-aim his gun. Before Anna could protest, the gun had went off and Anna turned in just enough time to see Jenny's head whip back and blood to splatter, covering Anna's face, neck and arms.

Anna's mouth opened, but it popped closed and she stood up fast. In the next second, her knife was in her hand and she stabbed Chris with it.

"You bastard!" Anna cried, tears freely streaming now, and she let out a savage yell as she thrust the knife back into Chris' throat.

They both fell to the ground in the doorway, but Anna didn't let up. Like some kind of wild animal, she kept going at it, stabbing Chris in every which way she could; his eyes, neck, chest, and anywhere else she could reach as she straddled over him, yelling with each blow.

Chris was dead, he had been dead when he hit the floor, but either Anna didn't notice or didn't care.

When her hand got tired, she threw her knife aside-blaming it- and grabbed the one in the back of her belt and started fresh. But this time, she had to use both hands to thrust the knife into his body, and since she had stabbed him so many times, she started hitting already opened wounds.

Her hands was shaking, and a painful buzz had started in them, and she was out of breath. She dropped the knife, and with tired arms starting hitting his chest, angry and sad. She stopped and gave a heart wrenching yell, that hurt both her lungs and vocal cords.

Anna's head fell to Chris' chest, her breathing heavy at best. With her head on Chris's chest, blood was being smeared all over her body, but she seemed far away in her mind, remember the better days. But even they were plagued when the dead entered her mind and killed any dream she ever had.

She could cry no longer, her body could not allow it. This left her eyes red, puffy and itchy, but she ignored that and her painful hands.

Pushing off Chris' chest, she cast a look at what was left of him. He was no longer recognizable, and if she hadn't been the one to do it to him, she would have never known what he looked like. He was mangled, his upper body a bloody mess of flesh, blood and torn clothing.

Anna, with a posture that would have suggested she was dead, walking over to Jenny and fell to her knees. With no tears left, she simply held Jenny in her arms and mourned.

* * *

><p>When Anna could no longer just stare at the wall in front of her, she made her way to her feet. With weak arms, she scooped Jenny into her arms and placed her upon her bed. She pulled up the blanket, until it was to her neck, kissed her temple and turned away.<p>

She grabbed the knife she had thrown and the one she had dropped and put them back. She messily cleaned her hands and face with Jenny's towel. She grabbed Chris' gun, threw the strap over her shoulder and spat on his body before stepping over it with utmost disrespect for his remains.

With blank and tired eyes, she walked down the hall and to the back stairwell. Fire had engulfed the one side and she had no other choice.

Anna hoped that the group was still here, and that she could catch up, but this other part told her she should care; that she should just run and never look back.

However, Anna found the group of the four men now with a bunch of others running towards a side gate. She didn't think twice and rushed after them.

Rick, while scanning over the dead, spotted her running to them. For a moment he wanted to kill her, but decided since she saved them deserved at least a plea for why he shouldn't. He took notice, though, to her crimson soaked clothes, red splattered neck and red smeared face.

He didn't have to guess to know what it was.


	4. FOUR

**FOUR:**

Anna caught up to the back of the group, and though some looked at her strangely, none moved to shoot her.

"Up and over!" Rosita shouted, and the group complied.

Rick stayed behind and waited until Anna reached him. He gave her a stern, if-looks-could-kill glare before he started to turn around. He ushered her towards the gate and spun around when he heard gunfire.

Gareth was on the rooftop, shooting down at them, and he just caught sight of Anna climb up and over the gate. Rick shot at them and forced them to duck and cover and when Gareth looked back up, they were gone.

* * *

><p>Anna and the rest of the group ran into the woods, and stopped to walk when they were a decent ways away. Anna didn't care to know where they were leading her, as long as it was away.<p>

She was numb in the moment, Jenny's words echoing in her head and she hung her head ashamed she had not killed her before Chris could. Jenny had wanted her to do it and Anna could not even give her that.

"Right here." said Daryl, causing Anna to look up and then at what they were doing.

They had buried guns and some supplies, and they were taking them. She mentally praised they had thought it through.

"Who the hell is this?" Abraham wondered, an angry tone in his voice, yet to Anna he was only the red-headed man who had helped her over the gate.

Since Anna had not opened her mouth, Rick supplied, "She saved us when we were taken away."

"Why? Aren't you one of them?" Maggie asked her.

"I couldn't leave, even when I most desperately wanted to. To be one of them, I would have to be a killer guard in the makeup of that prison. I was merely a silent hostage that feared for her own life, which is why I forced myself to keep quiet and stay." Anna told them in a quiet voice.

"Wait," Abraham started, turning to glare at her. "When we first got here, I saw you with Gareth."

Anna squinted, her face becoming hard, and she opened her mouth to tell them all a half-lie, half-truth. "You do what you can to survive."

And she had been just surviving at first, but that bloody, thorned rose bloomed into something more.

Her answer caused Abraham to frown, Daryl to look at Rick, who looked at her with hard eyes. He wished she would unravel before them, and show them if she was worth trust or not. However, with little knowledge of her, he decided it would just be safe to not trust her and keep a careful eye on her for now.

"Go along the fences, take out the rest of 'em." Rick told the group, digging. "They don't get to live."

Anna's eyes snapped up from the ground. She didn't have to think hard to know what he meant, but she was curious if he meant her or not. Anna knew, first hand, that groups became close and sometimes, anyone who dared harm or get in their way was as good as dead.

It was Glenn who spoke up. "We got out, Rick. It's over."

"It's not over 'til they're all dead."

"The hell it isn't. That place is on fire." Rosita stepped up. "Full of Walkers."

"Just let it burn." Anna tried, wanting to be as far from this place as possible. It was filled with too many bad memories, and it only seemed to bring out the bad in her.

"We just made it out."

"The fences are down." said Maggie. "They'll run or die."

A woman came from the trees and approached them. To Anna she was just a woman with short grey hair, but to the rest of them, it was Carol.

Daryl ran and hugged her tight and the rest stepped forward with smiling faces.

This was Anna's chance to run, but instead she didn't move. These people seemed good enough, and she wanted to earn their trust to get what they had; she wanted to become part of the group, part of their little family.

With staying, Anna found out it had been this grey haired woman-later she learned her name-had been the one who caused the explosion. She was both happy because she got away and sad because that had been the first domino leading up to Jenny's death.

Then Carol led them to the cabin, where Tyreese and Judith were waiting. But with the travel there, Anna smeared blood over the signs leading people to the "sanctuary" of Terminus. Rick watched, perplexed, before handing her a spray can, where she wrote "no" above sanctuary and then spray painted over the map.

There, Anna learned more, that there was a baby; a little, innocent life in this effed up world. As the baby was in Rick's arms, their eyes caught and Anna swore she saw the spark of innocent she had once seen in Jenny's eyes. She swore, in the moment, to protect that spark.

* * *

><p>The group was now walking through the woods, Anna walking beside Rick. This wasn't coincidence because Rick wanted to keep watch of her, and Daryl was right behind her and Michonne was off to the one side and Abraham to the other.<p>

This didn't go unnoticed by Anna, and she was well aware of what they were doing and that her every move was being watched. It took everything in her bones to not grab her knife and scream.

She strode to walk in pace with Rick, whose longer legs gave him an advantage. She glared at him from the corner of her eyes, not exactly meeting his but enough to show that she was not pleased.

Anna wondered, though, walking beside Rick, what their next step was and how she was involved, if at all.

The roof over her head was gone and she was left, again, in the harshness of the wind and the reality that no one was really fond of her. She had been on her own before, but she had become accustomed to the routine at Terminus and everything that wasn't routine was strange and new again.

She didn't entirely like it, but she knew she would have to tough through to be considered a member of Rick's group.

"Where are we going?" Anna asked Rick, her tone direct yet whispered.

Rick pointed in front of them. "That way."

Anna frowned at his answer and decided he didn't know much more than she did in that moment. She sighed and her hand started reaching for the gun in the back of her belt—for its reassurance — but Rick's eyes snapped to hers and the people around her stiffened.

She swallowed, annoyed and put her hand back at her side.

That was when a scream echoed through the trees, causing Anna's hair to stand on end.

"Help! Someone help me!"

Before she knew what she was doing, Anna started running after the cry for help, with no regard for the people around her.

Some of the group went to follow, but Rick stopped them with a gesture of his hand. Carl frowned up at his dad.

"We help people." said Carl in a plain voice, watching Anna's retreating figure.

"Carl—"

"No, Dad."

Rick frowned, but nodded at his son. At this action, the group started after Anna and the scream.


	5. FIVE

**Thank you Prettyprincess45** **and a guest for reviewing. I'm so glad I'm doing this okay and that you both like it. And thank you for your kind words.**

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><p><strong>FIVE:<strong>

Anna was sprinting, running with all she had. She almost appeared to be flying across the dead leaves and fallen branches. Her eyes were wild and fierce, a determined glint in them.

The group was not very far behind, racing to catch up since she had gotten the head start.

The screaming and cries for help continued, only fueling Anna across the forest and around trees. Racing around a rock, she could see a man, in a priest outfit. He was on a large rock, with Walkers all around, trying to feed.

Still running towards them, she grabbed her knife and threw it, and when it made its mark she reached for her other and thrust it into one Walker's skull that had gotten too close. She then killed the third and was pulling the other knife from the skull when the group rounded the corner.

Anna wiped her brow with the back of her hand, turned and sent a glare Rick's way for not backing her up quicker and then looked to the priest.

He was staring at Anna with utmost horror, like she herself was a monster.

And seeing that look in his eye, Anna decided to not help him down; however, she was still glad she had helped him.

Maybe it would give her good karma.

Anna chuckled at the absurd thought, and decided that her wishful thinking meant nothing in the world they were living in. Yet, she did hope for a little luck; luck could go a long way for her.

The priest swallowed, and helped himself down. He dusted his hands off and then looked up at the group, glancing carefully at the panting blonde with wild sapphire eyes.

"I'm Father Gabriel."

They went on to discuss why he was out in the woods by himself and he said he was running out of food and needed more.

Rick, taking precautions, told Father Gabriel to bring them to wherever he was held up. Sighing, the Father gave in and started to lead them back.

Anna, as she had been before, was herded in between Rick, Daryl and Abraham, being forced to walk near Father Gabriel at the front.

She guessed it was for their own protection that she faced the danger first, so either they could get away or gather a quick plan to kill whoever or whatever they encountered.

Anna, both bored and not interested in what the Father was saying started to clink her knives together.

Father Gabriel paused in what he was saying to stare at her for a moment, purely uneasy in her presence, before resuming once more. And perhaps, he had the right to feel uneasy around her, since she had been eating human flesh for almost a year but he didn't need to know that detail.

He was already frightened of her.

Anna stared right back, sending a chill down Father Gabriel's spine. He quickly looked away.

Rick caught up to Anna to walk right beside her, and for a few paces all they did was stare at each other.

Rick's eyes were challenging, Anna's saying "Gotta problem? Come at me!"

After leaving Terminus, Anna's self-confidence went up a notch and her ferocity emerged.

Rick went to grab the knives, to stop their constant clanking, but Anna twisted away from his reach. She then started throwing the knives at trees and grabbing them as she passed.

Turning to look at Rick, she raised an eyebrow, as if saying "What're you gonna do about it?"

This caused Rick to frown at her, which clearly said loud and clear that he was done dealing with her childish acts. Carl acted better than she did.

Feeling singled out, Anna frowned and looked away, placing her knives in their holders.

Rick turned his attention back to Father Gabriel, and the trees opened up into a path and a church that looked boarded up.

Some of the group members nodded in a little approval. It was something and something was all they needed right now.

* * *

><p>Inside, it was revealed that Father Gabriel did have at least a little food and the group had no troubles starting to cook it-most of it.<p>

Anna stared at the group, taking the cans of food and preparing it to be eaten. She noticed some of them sit down on the benches and take a breather; she noticed that they were all relaxed.

And that stirred up weird emotions within her; it was almost like the world was normal.

Too caught up in her thoughts, she did not see Rick approach her with a hard expression. Nor did she notice Daryl tighten his grip on his crossbow and watch as Rick went to her.

However, her attention was caught when Rick grabbed her arm and pulled her to the side, where no one could hear.

Caught off guard, and highly annoyed, Anna scowled at Rick; a distaste rolling over her taste buds and her eyes to squint in an angry manner.

"What's your issue?" she hissed, practically toe-to-toe with the leader of the group she had gotten her way into.

"Look, I don't trust you, and I certainly don't trust you around the group—"

Anna went to make a 'No shit, Sherlock' remark, but Rick hushed her rudely.

"—but I'm willing to let you into this group. But, so help me, if you harm or steal from us in any way, I won't hesitate to kill you with my bare hands."

Anna raised her eyebrows, quite surprised both by Rick's tone and that he had been so blunt. It took her off guard, although, she knew she didn't deserve their trust.

She'd eaten human meat, for Heaven's sake!

Yet, she wasn't entirely expecting the harshness.

Anna recoiled, as if she'd been slapped, before returning her gaze to Rick with a disgusted face. She wanted to hit him and run, as she hadn't been used to unkind words being said to her in such a long time. Considering Gareth was the leader of Terminus, people regarded her with respect and smiles.

"I didn't expect you to." she snapped, irritated.

"However, you helped us, which is why you get this chance. But you take advantage of that-"

"Yeah, yeah. I get it." Anna resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

Rick sighed, before staring at Anna, trying to figure her out. It had been hard, since she kept mostly to herself, and he was surprised about how angry she was underneath her pretty face.

With Rick staring at her, she wanted to snap at him, but finally looked into his eyes. At first, she saw distrust and the need to protect those he cared about, but for some reason, she looked harder and passed the first few layers that had been put upon him when the whole thing went down.

Inside those clear pools of blue was a man that had a real life before all this; a man who had been thrust into leadership because he was willing to take it.

However, she looked away, down to the floor, ashamed she had tried to look further. She had only ever looked at Gareth that way and the guilt of leaving him crashed over her like a tidal wave. She cringed internally, sickened by her actions.

But she was doing it in the name of her own survival and in the name of her moral standards that had been pushed away with Gareth's charming smile.

She loved him, but hated his choices.

For so long she looked passed them, because she honestly loved him—with all she had, and he was all she had left in the world, after the death of Jenny— and believed he was trying, but it was time for her to leave.

It was time for her to find herself again after it was lost in the mess of blood and death.


	6. SIX

**Thank you guest (Jofrench22) for review on the last chapter!  
><strong>

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><p><strong>SIX:<strong>

In her attempt to step in the new direction of life she wished to head, she started conversations with those around her. They were new people, and seemed like the decent kind, so she decided to stay as long as she could.

When she got food to eat, after it was done cooking, she looked around her to all the smiling and laughing faces. They were tightly knitted together, creating a family-like atmosphere that Anna felt like she didn't belong to.

She took a seat next to a man much like herself, outcasted, reserved from the rest. He turned to look at her, his dark eyes piercing her baby blues that were far from innocent. A moment of silence passed between them, and a sense of understanding came soon after.

They ate silently, side-by-side before Anna turned to ask his name. But before they question passed her lips he answered her.

"Eugene Porter,"

"Anna."

Her last name was lost when the world went to hell, and she didn't feel like owning what she once was in a new world where the weak were sent to slaughter. Her past self was weak, and wouldn't have been able to live in a world like this. She shed her thin, weak skin when she was savagely attacked for supplies and what laid beneath had been building since it started. What emerged was a thicker skin and the desire to defend herself.

Not long after, she found Jenny and then Terminus, and then ultimately Gareth.

Anna really didn't really believe in destiny, but if there was anything to describe her finding Gareth in this great big world, it had to be fate.

Eugene nodded and went back to his food, staring at the people in strong conversation. Anna's gaze found Rick, or more specifically, the baby she learned was named Judith. She watched as Rick fed Judith, and laughed along with some of the others causing Judith to smile.

That smile made Anna react in the same way everyone else did, to crack a grin.

Rick caught Anna staring at Judith, and was about to get defensive, but he noticed her facial expression. Not blank or hard or angry, as he was used to, instead her pretty face was in a happy smile that should have appeared on her face more.

However, Anna looked away and down at her plate. She was hungry—absolutely starving, and the fact that this dinner contained no traces of human filled her with satisfaction— yet she couldn't help but move things around on her plate.

She wanted this kind of life (in the current state of the world), but she didn't deserve it. She didn't deserve a second chance; she didn't deserve this meal and she certainly didn't deserve a group to protect her.

* * *

><p>When Anna went to sleep with a small blanket Carol had given her, the group had a silent meeting in Father Gabriel's separate room. It was a precaution so Anna did not hear.<p>

Their first level of business was going for food, but Father Gabriel offered to show them a place a little ways away where food had been taken in the morning.

That made Anna the issue that brought them to this meeting with uneasy feelings and tons of questions.

"I want everyone to keep watch of her," Rick started. "But for saving us I gave her the chance to be one of us."

"But what about Gareth?" Abraham asked. "They seemed real cozy together when we saw them."

"Yeah, do you think she'd betray that to join us? She's gotta be up to something." Maggie told them.

"And what if she did just leave? That means she had no trouble betraying her group. Why wouldn't she do it to us?" Glenn continued.

"She seemed sweet when I talked to her." Carol cut in, understanding that sometimes you had to do what you had to do. "She didn't like the way she was living but couldn't get out of it. She saw a chance and took it."

"It could be a lie to get us to feel sympathetic." Rosita inquired with a shrug.

"I don't think she was lying." Carol defended.

Rick sighed, "When we get the food tomorrow we'll see how trustworthy she is."

* * *

><p>The sun rose that morning and Anna woke with it, finding she was not the only one up, however she found she was still tired. Most of the group was awake, fiddling with their weapons and Rick was talking to Father Gabriel about the place the food was. Anna had already planned to go with them, to help, but Rick already insisted she go.<p>

Her stubbornness wanted her to stay back just because Rick asked, but her desire to claim her place among them overtook her.

Anna gathered up her knives she had kept close when she slept, cleaned them off and waited for the rest of the group to be ready.

Carol walked over with a granola bar in hand, something she had given the rest of the group for breakfast.

Anna looked up as Carol approached her and stood, as to be polite. Carol had been the kindest to her since she arrived, and Anna had mixed feelings. Thankful was something that came to mind first, second was bitterness. Although, Anna tried her best to look passed it all and see Carol just as a woman who happen to be in the group, so she could get fresh feelings and thoughts.

"Thank you." said Anna, smiling slightly and taking the granola bar from Carol.

Carol smiled back and nodded, before turning and helping Maggie and Glenn. Anna sighed, looking at the wrapper of her breakfast before opening it and taking a small bite. She smiled to herself at the taste, and when she looked up she found Daryl glaring at her.

She had the feeling he didn't trust or open up easily. And she respected that; she wasn't far off herself.

Anna averted her eyes and looked back to the granola bar, slowly eating and savoring each bite. She was waiting for the part of the group that was going, as some were going to stay behind with Judith and Carl. She had wanted to volunteer to stay with Judith, but she knew no one would go for it.

Rick set out, with Father Gabriel as the guide, Daryl at his side, crossbow in hand and eyes scanning the trees. Anna was forced by Michonne, who kept a watchful eye on the new girl, and Bob and Sasha was by them as well, rounding out Rick's little group that were headed to the food bank.

As the sun steady rose, so did a sickening feeling in Anna's stomach, and she cringed as the nauseousness flooded her entire body. She made a face, stopping for a second and taking a deep breath. This aided her none and she quickly stepped back into pace with the rest of thee group.

Luckily, no one noticed her pause, however, Michonne glanced at her weirdly.

They made their way into town, where only a few Walkers were scattered about. Father Gabriel showed them to the food bank and they broke down the door to get inside.

It was discovered that the food had been down below, but it was flooded because the roof caved in. Each made their way down below, after some hesitation from Father Gabriel.

They started to gather all they could salvage, mostly canned goods.

Anna felt uneasy going through the gray and murky water and she tried to keep most of her body dry.

Walking next to Bob, Anna grabbed a few cans and tossed them over to Sasha, who put them in a large bucket. Anna worked silently, but when a Walker emerged through the water in front of Bob, she suppressed a scream of surprise.

It took her a second to get into gear, watching as the Walker started attacking Bob, but she jumped into action grabbing her knife and burying it into its skull. The Walker went limp and Bob looked up into Anna's eyes, beginning to think that she wasn't that bad. No one had been watching and she could have easily let it kill him.

"Thanks." Bob told her, his mind flashing back to when he was bound and gagged over the trough.

Anna hummed, nodding before going back to work. Her output of effort, however little, made her fatigued and slightly dizzy. She brushed it off as a bad nights rest, seeing that she didn't exactly have a bed like back at Terminus. Sasha raced over, going as fast as she could through the water and made sure Bob was okay. They kissed briefly before they both got back to work.

A few more Walkers started coming, all looking quite disgusting due to their long time in the water.

Daryl shot an arrow into one who was getting too close to him and Anna threw her knife to do the same. Rick took notice to Father Gabriel standing near the wall, eyes closed in acceptance of death. Rick did not let that happen and killed the Walker who had been advancing of the Father.

But what Rick did not notice was a Walker approaching behind him, arms out and ready to grab. Anna, seeing this, lifted her throwing arm with a knife and prepared to throw it into the skull.

Yet, what Daryl saw was Anna preparing to kill Rick and loaded an arrow to put one through her skull.

Anna caught sight of this and her eyes went wide before she pointed over to Rick. Daryl glanced in the direction and saw the Walker getting close.

"Rick!"

Rick turned and jumped to attack, killing the Walker easily. Daryl turned his weapon away from Anna and she sighed in relief.

Having enough of the danger at the food bank, Rick decided to go back to the church and to his son and daughter. Anna was also glad to be leaving, as the smell had really gotten to her and her breakfast was stirring uneasily in her stomach.

Outside, in the fresh air, Anna could take no more and steadied herself on a wall. Michonne, seeing this stopped and walked to the distressed woman. And she was about to ask if she was okay when Anna's breakfast spilled all over the pavement.

Anna wiped her mouth and instantly felt better, although she felt hungry again, having a weird craving for a pickle. Her eyebrows furrowed, staring at the concrete, however not really seeing it. Thoughts stirred around Anna's brain like her breakfast once had and a lightning strike of fear pierced through her.

She realized she was also late.


	7. SEVEN

**Jofrench22, ****I think I will change it to a long story, considering what you've said and the fact that I think I can do more with this story and with Anna. Thanks so much!**

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><p><strong>SEVEN:<strong>

Anna blinked away tears and tried to calm herself before she had an anxiety attack. She had already started to draw attention, but she was trying to piece it together. And things started to make sense; her unpredictable emotions, the cravings, the dizzyness and the sickness.

"Hey, are you okay?" Michonne asked, leaning down to get a look at her face.

Anna's eyes flickered up, meeting Michonne's, before she stood back up. Her hand still on the wall, aiding her standing position, Anna nodded, removing her hand.

"I'm fine. Must've been the smell." Anna lied straight through her teeth, taking a step forward, her knees wobbling a little before Anna gained control over them again.

Rick and the rest of them turned, continuing to carry some of the boxes, while Rick pushed a cart along. Michonne stayed back with the ashen faced woman, who looked worried and lost in her own thoughts.

"Here," Michonne said, reaching into her bag and pulling out a bag filled with beef jerky that had been homeade with some squirrels. "You're no good on an empty stomach."

But the smell hit Anna's nose like a punch to the face and she suddenly felt like throwing up again. Quickly, Anna pushed the bag away from her face and took a deep breath of air, and her contorted face returned to what it once was; worry-stricken.

"No, thank you."

Michonne stared at her strangely, wondering why the smell affected her like it did. Sighing, she put the jerky back in her bag and took out a water bottle.

"At least, have a drink?" Michonne held it out to her.

Nodding weakly due to her rising fear, Anna took the bottle and took long, careful gulps until it was only a quarter of the way full. She stared at the almost empty bottle, watching the rippling of the water.

It did nothing to aid her uneasiness, but it allowed Anna to put on a fake emotion to conceal her real ones.

"Thank you." Anna smiled a small smile before handing it back to her.

Michonne then handed her a box full of food for her to bring back before grabbing her own. Both woman walked side-by-side, catching back up to the rest of them that had gotten a bit ahead.

* * *

><p>With all the new food, there was a feast, and Anna found herself alone in the back. It was dark in the back, and it hid her shame and her lies as she ate slowly. No one paid much attention to her absence, instead they laughed and ate and enjoyed themselves as they had the first night.<p>

Although, tonight, Anna could not even share their joy. She felt like she had a death sentence, and it was hanging heavily on her shoulders, visibly draining her. Judith had to have a mother, and seeing that she wasn't around, Anna knew she had been killed or died during birth. And the latter was why Anna believed she was going to die.

In her head, she debated leaving when everyone was asleep and simply letting life do with her what it would. But, she also wished to stay and live, but admitting her troubles was surely a death sentence.

Rick didn't even want Gareth to live, so how would he feel about his offspring in her belly? Anna couldn't say for certain, but she knew children were looked at differently if they had a bad parent, as if everyone was waiting for the child to follow in that parent's footsteps.

These thoughts made Anna sick and dizzy, instantly losing her appetite.

She wondered why it had turned out this way; why she had been handed such a sucky hand in life. Anna closed her eyes, pushing her food down the bench and away from her. Anna didn't even realize she had begun to cry until the salty tears met her lips.

As quickly as she could, Anna wiped away her tears, blinking to clear away the ones that were forming. No one could see that she was crying; no one could know something was wrong.

Anna put her head into her hands, trying to take deep breaths and stop herself from crying but the tears continued coming silently. Anna blamed the growing baby inside her for the tears and her increasing weepy attitude.

Rick handed Judith over to Michonne, and started to walk towards Anna. The group had come to a unanimous decision and it was all slightly inspired by the happy atmosphere.

Noticing his approach, Anna wiped all evidence of her tears from her face and mustered a small smile. She didn't know why he was coming over, but Anna felt the need to thank him, to at least, throw him off suspicions for now.

"May I?"

Anna took a deep breath and slid over so Rick could sit down next to her. It was silent for a few moments before Rick spoke up.

"How many Walkers have you killed?"

Anna furrowed her eyebrows at the question, before she mentally started to count. It was hard to remember the very beginning and how many she had killed then, but she knew how many she had killed in the last few days. She tried to sum up an approximate total.

"Ten, give or take. Why—"

"How many humans have you killed?" Rick cut her off, and although this was one of the questions he asked new members, he was honestly curious.

Anna blinked, unsure if he meant deaths she contributed to or ones killed by her own hand. Deciding a lower number would be more in her favor, she answered, "Five."

"Why?"

"The first one was not long after everything went to hell," Anna confessed. "He and his group attacked me, I killed him to get away. The next three you were present for. The last one shot my best friend in the forehead."

Anna dared not add that her best friend had been bitten, and figured Rick would assume she was trying to save herself from getting shot too.

"Bob told me what you did at the food bank. Thank you." Rick told her sincerely. "I think I trust you enough to join the group, but my previous statement still stands."

Anna nodded quickly. It went unsaid that everyone would still be keeping a watchful eye on her, but both parties knew it didn't need to be voiced.

"You should finish that." Rick gestured to her dinner, and Anna glanced over at it, but when she looked back to where Rick was, he was already up and walking back to his daughter.

Anna tried to stuff a few more bites down her throat, but finishing the whole plate went unsuccessfully. She honestly wanted to finish it, to keep herself healthy—God knew she was going to need it—but she couldn't bring herself to. She was still shocked to the news she had figured out that morning and was still unsure on what she was going to do.

With the little trust she gained she could easily grab what she could carry and leave or face her growing fear: tell the group.

Even the thought made her nervous, the nerves building in her stomach and threatening to overflow. Her palms got all sweaty and her heart started racing.

'_I could just _not _tell them.'_ thought Anna, deciding to hold off as long as possible. She could try and gain all their trust—make herself family—before spilling the news, faking just finding out herself. Surely then they wouldn't kill her or leave her behind. Although, that only gave her a few months before she started to show.

Anna nodded to herself, deciding that was going to be her course of action. And with any luck, no one would catch on before she was ready.

* * *

><p>Needing to put her plan into action, Anna got up from the back and walked to the front and plastered a friendly smile on her face. She thanked Carol for dinner and handed her an empty plate after she discarded the rest of its contents under the bench she was sitting on.<p>

Anna sat on a bench near the front, criss-crossed her legs and listened. It seemed a toast was going around, and Anna declined the offer of having some wine. Instead, she had a glass of water.

"We'll get Eugene to Washington and the living will have this world again!" Abraham vowed, with a smile.

This took Anna completely off guard. Eugene knew how to fix this whole mess? All they had to do was get him to Washington? Anna was shocked, to say the least. This whole mess could be sorted out and everything would go back to the way it was? Surely, things would be different, as people would have to rebuild society, but she would no longer have to worry about the dead?

Anna beamed, raising her glass slightly.

"We're in." Rick said, with Judith in his lap.

People grinned and some chuckled, raising their glasses in the air and silently toasting. Anna couldn't help but do the same.

Anna, falling back into her seat, continued to listen. She noticed Carol leave, unknown to most, except Daryl who followed after he noticed she was missing. Bob was also missing, but Anna didn't think much of it. After all, she didn't know everyones habits yet and figured it shouldn't worry her.

Maybe he just needed air.

A quarter of an hour passed and still, no one returned. Anna begun to feel suspicious, but everyone was had not noticed or didn't seem to be concerned.

"Where's Bob?"


	8. EIGHT

**Jofrench22, thank you for your reviews on the last few chapters, they mean a lot and always make my day.**

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><p><strong>EIGHT:<strong>

Sasha set out to look for Bob, Tyreese and Rick not too far behind to help. Anna stayed back with everyone else, sitting quietly on one of the benches in silent worry for the missing group members.

When they returned, Sasha seemed furious, her eyes set directly on Father Gabriel, Rick and Tyreese following after her.

"What are you doing?"

Father Gabriel stopped what he was doing and looked at Sasha, mostly confused. Anna turned in her seat, curious, as did everyone else.

"This is all connected." Sasha continued. "You show up and we're being watched and now three of us are gone."

_'Watched?_' wondered Anna, suddenly fearful, stealing glances at the windows and the back door. '_Who would be watching us?'_

"I-I don't—I don't have anything to do with this." Father Gabriel took a step back after taking a glance around.

Sasha unsheathed her knife and Father Gabriel jumped back at the same time Anna stood up. This suddenly became more serious than she originally thought. Everyone else stood and Rosita attempted to run forward but Abraham caught her before she could go very far.

Sasha steadily got closer to Father Gabriel, who had his hands up, "Who's out there?"

"I-I don't have any ans—"

Sasha got into his face, "Where are our people?"

"I-I—"

"Where are our people?!" Sasha finally screamed, causing Anna to jump.

"I don't have anything to do with this."

Rick pulled Sasha away, who appeared to have tears forming in her eyes. Sasha went to stand near Tyreese while Rick took a step forward, eyes trained on Father Gabriel.

"Why'd you bring us here?" Rick asked, his tone careful and whispered, but threatening.

Hands still raised, Father Gabriel stuttered out, "P-p-please, I-I—"

"Are you working for someone?"

"I'm alone. I'm alone." Father Gabriel repeated. "I was always alone."

"'_You will burn for this_'. That was for you. Why? What are you going to burn for Gabriel?"

Anna, confused now, furrowed her eyebrows and looked at Father Gabriel expectantly. She hoped he wasn't behind this, but she did wish that their people would come back.

Rick suddenly grabbed Father Gabriel by the collar and pushed him back, his loud voice ringing out, "What did you do? What did you do?!"

Anna cringed at the loudness in his voice, yet thankful that she wasn't on the receiving end of it. This group had been hostile towards her, and now they were nuetral, but still careful and cautious, with times where they were mean or sent glares in her direction. Anna hoped all the bitter feelings towards her would cease, and currently they were gone-all focused on Father Gabriel and that was why she was thankful.

Rick let go of the now tearful Father Gabriel, who began searching for a place to look other than Rick's face. He seemed guilty, of what, Anna was not sure.

"I locked the doors at night. I always lock the doors at night. I always lock the doors at night." he started crying before he took a breath. "They started coming, my congregation. Atlanta was bombed the night before and they were scared. T-they were looking for a safe place; a place where they felt safe. It was so early and the doors were still locked. You see, it was my choice. There were so many of them and they were trying to pry the shutters and banging on the siding, screaming at me and so the dead came for them."

Anna's breath caught in her throat, utterly surprised and disgusted that this man had not let them in. Terminus had been a terrible place, but they always welcomed people.

But Anna realized that that wasn't even a good example to compare. If you weren't accepted at Terminus you were killed and eaten and that was that.

"Women, children, entire families were torn apart begging me for mercy." he started to tear up again, holding his hands together under his chin. "Begging me for mercy. Damning me to Hell. I buried their bones; I buried it all. The Lord sent you here to finally punish me. I'm damned. I was damned before. I always lock the doors. I always lock the doors."

He fell to the ground and continued crying, making Anna watch him in pity. Anna was frowning when Sasha turned to look at her.

"You."

Anna's eyebrows raised, watching as Sasha started approaching her, her knife still out and a hard look on her face. However, Anna wasn't taken by much surprise, she was still new and no one had entirely figured her out. It only made sense they blamed her next.

"Where are they?!" Sasha screamed, her hand tightening on her weapon.

"I didn't do anything! I was here the whole time!" Anna yelled, grabbing her own knife but keeping it at her side. "I swear, I didn't do this."

Sasha was about to say something, but Glenn and Maggie moved near the doors.

"There's something out there." Glenn said. "There's someone outside, laying in the grass."

Everyone turned and Sasha ran to the door, people calling to her and following her outside. Anna jogged after them and saw Bob laying in the grass, a leg missing and she didn't really have to guess to know who had done it. No one could instill fear like he could.

And it was in that moment, that everything the group had been saying to Bob's missing leg, Anna realized how dangerous Gareth was and fear started filling her.

"Bob!" Sasha rushed to his side, but her loud call had drawn attention from some nearby Walkers.

"His leg." said Maggie, with a shocked face.

"Get him inside, we'll take care of it." Glenn called to her, rushing up to hit the Walker in the face.

Anna took out a Walker close to herself, before following Glenn and the others back inside. However, Rick started shooting and ordering them inside, before he himself was able to.

* * *

><p>They laid Bob on the floor and they surrounded him, Anna standing behind them. She knew she didn't belong kneeling beside him like the others and she kept her distance. He had woken and was holding his head, looking at them all.<p>

"I was in a graveyard. Somebody knocked me out." Bob got to his elbows to look at them easier, but he sounded in pain by the way he was breathing. "I woke outside this place. Looked like a-a school. It was that guy," Bob's eyes met Anna's. "Gareth and five other ones. They were eating my leg right in front of me like it was nothing. All proud like they had it all figured out. And then he started talkin' about you."

"Me?" Suddenly, Anna felt queasy, and she forced herself to swallow back down her dinner that had started to rise.

"Yeah, he kept asking me if you were okay and stuff like that— mostly babble." Bob told Anna, taking notice to her worried body language.

Rick glanced at Anna, who was fidgeting with the hem of her shirt before looking back at Bob, "Did they have Daryl and Carol?"

"Gareth said they drove off."

Everyone was glanced at each other, each probably thinking something different, but all along the lines of 'Why did they leave?'

When they noticed how much pain Bob was in, they were going to get the first aid kit and see if anything would help, but Bob wouldn't have it. He sat up and showed them the bite in his shoulder.

Anna didn't know how this had happened. She had saved him from that Walker! Sure, she had frozen at first and she had seen it attack him from behind, but he said nothing about being bit and Sasha had checked him!

The group suddenly looked sad, and Sasha tried to reassure Bob it was going to be okay, but it looked like she was the one who needed reassurance. Bob fell backwards to lay down again, and Sasha helped him so he didn't injure himself further.

"There's a sofa in my office he can use." Father Gabriel told them, trying to be helpful. "I know it's not much—"

Still, Sasha thanked him for it.

Tyreese then carried Bob to the couch and Rick asked Father Gabriel if he knew where Bob was talking about. He did and said it was close; so close that it was only about a ten minute walk through the woods.

Anna took a step back and carefully sat down. Gareth was close, close enough that Anna could be there before morning or close enough that Gareth could attack tonight. Both thoughts worried her.

"Reality check," called Abraham, an intimidating gun in his hands, which caused Rosita to walk towards him. "we all need to leave for D.C. Right now."

"Daryl and Carol are gonna be back." Rick told him. "We're not going anywhere without 'em."

Anna felt thankful that Rick was not willing to leave someone behind, and hoped that she would soon have that. She knew she was going to need it.

"I respect that, but there's a clear threat to Eugene. I need to extract his ass before things get any uglier. If y'all don't come, good luck to ya, we'll go our separate ways." Abraham said with authority and turned to leave.

"You leavin' on foot?"

Abraham stopped, "We fixed that damn bus ourselves."

Rick strode forward, "There are a lot more of us."

"You wanna keep it that way? You should come."

"Carol saved your life." Rick got into Abraham's face. "We saved your life."

"I'm trying to save yours! Save everyone's." Abraham yelled.

"We ain't goin' anywhere without our people."

"Your people took off!"

"They're comin' back!"

The tension was thick now, Anna was positive she could cut it with one of her knives. It sent her heart into a race and her palms into a sweat.

"To what?! Picked over bones?"

Rick tried to grab Abraham, but he pushed Rick's hand away. Glenn took a careful step forward and Rosita tried to stop Abraham. Glenn put himself between the two Alpha-males and yelled for them to stop.

"Do you really think you're going to be any safer leaving right now in the middle of the night?" Glenn asked Abraham.

"Yeah." he said.

"What about tomorrow? We need you for this." Glenn stressed. "We _need_ each other to get to D.C. We can get through all of it together."

Tara stepped forward, "I have an idea. If you stay just one more day and help us I'll go with you to D.C. No matter what."

"Glenn and Maggie, too."

After another almost-fight, Glenn and Maggie agreed to go, and Rick accepted that. He really had no other choice, it wasn't his call to make. And Abraham agreed, but decided that by noon they were going to be gone, whether Daryl and Carol were back or not.

That gave them twelve hours.


	9. NINE

**Jofrench22, even as the author, I'd always take your opinions into account!**

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><p><strong>NINE:<strong>

"They think they're in control. They're out there and we're in here." Rick said to the group, who were all sitting on the front row benches or standing near him. "We know exactly where they are."

"Your plan's got stones, I'll give you that." Abraham said, and it was the first thing Anna heard when she walked back inside, causing her eyebrows to furrow.

Anna had asked to get some fresh air after the confrontation and Tara had kept an eye on her through the window so that everyone knew she didn't go anywhere. And Anna had kept her word, but it was for more than just fresh air.

She had needed to sooth her stomach and the fresh air had done little to aid it, but when she walked inside it was mostly settled. Anna had been trying to come up with a lie and try and tell all involved that the baby wasn't Gareth's, maybe then they wouldn't mind. But since the whole thing went down, Gareth was the only one she had been with and trying to convince people otherwise was going to be a stretch.

So when the day came, Anna decided she wouldn't mention the father and the fact would just be left unsaid, as everyone could assume who it was. At least, that's how she hoped it would go.

"Make our move before they do."

"That's right. They're not counting on us to be thinking straight."

Anna went and sat on the second row bench, staring up at Rick and the others in curiosity wondering exactly what the plan was.

"Are we?" Rosita wondered. "Just making sure, it's a big play."

"Remember what these people are capable of." Rick set a glare Anna's way and Anna looked down and away from it. "Tyreese, you up for this?"

Anna looked up to see Sasha walk out of the office and tell everyone that she was going with them, to be apart of whatever was happening. Anna felt confused, and wanted to ask what exactly the plan was, but knew she wasn't going to get a good answer.

She may have gotten some of their trust, but she still had ties with Gareth and the others and no one was going to risk telling her.

Rick and the others, with the exception of Father Gabriel, Carl, Judith, Tyreese, Rosita, Bob, Eugene and Anna left to go to the school.

Anna decided to not hide with the others, even though Rick insisted—and Carl even personally asked her— instead she hid near the door, cloaked in darkness and practically unseeable.

Her heartbeat accelerated when the door broke open, and her breathing hitched and she used her hand as to not make any sound. The door creaked open and Anna felt like she was going to puke because of the nerves.

"We'll I guess you know we're here." Gareth's voice rang out, and Anna squeezed her eyes shut wishing she knew the plan now more than ever. "And we know you're here."

In the moonlight, through the windows, Anna caught sight of the side of Gareth's face. She wanted to close her eyes again, but she couldn't bring herself to do so. She simply stared.

"And we're armed. There's really no point in hiding anymore."

Anna saw Gareth give the single to start looking and she hoped she had picked a good spot. Though, when her heart kept pumping, faster and faster, she feared they might have heard it.

They inched forward slowly, not making any sound.

"We've been watching you. We know who's here. There's Bob—unless you've put him out of his misery already— and Eugene, Rosita, Martin's good friend Tyreese, Carl, Judith, and Anna. Darling, come on out; I'm not going to hurt you."

Anna's anxiety increased tenfold, and she now regretted not hiding with the others. However, there was nothing she could do about it now. One of the men walked passed her, and she pressed her lips together hard, yet he continued passed, not noticing her.

"Rick and the others walked out with a lot of your guns. Listen, we don't know where you all are, but this isn't a big place. Stop this now before things get more painful than they need to be."

Gareth gestured towards the doors and Anna's mouth went dry and it almost hurt to swallow. They tried both doors to find both locked.

"Look, you're behind one of these doors and we have more than enough firepower to take down both." Gareth's tone suggested annoyance. "Can't imagine that's what y'all want."

A gun cocked and Anna almost moved to get under a bench but she was frozen in her spot.

"How about the priest? Father, you help us out on this and we'll let you walk away from this." Gareth suggested and Anna prayed Gabriel wouldn't fall for it. Gareth was very manipulative and could easily talk someone out of a situation like this. "Just open the door and go. You can take the baby with you. What'a ya say?"

Suddenly Judith started crying and Anna's heart leapt into her throat, her skin suddenly getting very hot.

"I dunno, maybe we'll keep the kid. I'm starting to like this girl." Anna heard Garth whisper.

Anna could take no more, and she certainly wasn't going to allow Gareth to get his hands on Judith, the little spark Anna swore to protect. With all the courage Anna could muster, she called out, bring all attention to her.

"Gareth!" Anna screamed, hands shaking and knees trembling.

In the low light Gareth looked so much more scarier, given the circumstances.

Gareth smiled at the woman who revealed herself to him, but it disappeared when Anna sprinted out the door. Gareth looked to Martin, "Don't open that door and don't do anything until I get back!"

He then started racing after Anna into the night, where she almost disappeared into the trees but Gareth was able to keep up.

Anna didn't know where she was going or what she was doing, she just knew she had to get Gareth away from Judith and the others. If that meant risking her own life, then so be it.

She ran into the underbrush, ducking under branches and jumping over logs. Her eyes searched the darkness in front of her, looking for an escape, but all she found was more trees and dead leaves. She dared not turn around to see how close or how far Gareth was, she didn't want to risk slowing down.

Her breath came harshly as she panted in and out, her heart hammering against her ribs, threatening to burst out of her chest. She thought she had been fast enough to get away, but he was faster.

Gareth reached out and grabbed Anna's arm, jerking her to a hault. She spun around and tried to get free, but Gareth tossed his gun to the ground, grabbed both of her wrists and pushed her into a tree. Gareth then grabbed a knife from Anna's belt and held it up.

"Why are you running, darling?" Gareth wondered, his dark eyes meeting hers, tone soft and dangerous.

Anna didn't answer, instead she struggled.

She was panting for air at this point, her sticky saliva making her swallow hard. Her heart was still pounding in her ears and in her chest, but all she could do was to try and get free.

Gareth tightened his grip and Anna made a strangled cry of hurt before she stopped moving. She glanced at his face, then his eyes. She saw his hand move up, her silver knife glittering in the moonlight. He placed the cold metal on her cheek, and gave a small, sad smile, before gently trailing the knife down her cheek and throat. When he reached her shoulder, he added pressure and drew blood.

"You ran away." he said, in a tone of hurt and anger. "You betrayed me. Do you know what I do to betrayers?"

Anna knew full well what happened to them and her stomach twisted. Her decision had been so rash, she forgot to think about all involved. She wanted to live, and with the knife again near her throat and her shoulder bleeding, she knew she was going to have to fight or plea.

"Gareth, please," Anna's eyes teared up, starting to cry. "please don't kill us."

She hadn't intended to use that word, yet she had and maybe this was her saving grace; her chance to live. She didn't exactly want him to know—she didn't want anyone to know!— but there was no going back now.

"Us?" Gareth's eyebrows furrowed, taken off guard by the word.

Tears started down Anna's cheeks as she looked back up at him, "I'm pregnant."


	10. TEN

**Thank you, Jofrench22 and Lily, on your reviews last chapter!**

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><p><strong>TEN:<strong>

_Tears started down Anna's cheeks as she looked back up at him, "I'm pregnant."_

That seemed to knock the wind right out of his sails and he took a step back. This was her perfect chance to run, but she didn't move. His eyes reminded her why she loved him in the first place and she couldn't run from that. She never could, no matter how far she ran, or how hard she tried to deny it.

He may have drawn blood from her and Anna should have hated him for doing so, but again she remembered their passionate love they had for each other. It was impossible to forget and simply made her blind to his wrongdoings. Although, she wasn't blind to them anymore, she was accepting of them; of all his faults.

For a second, she almost wanted to ask him to run away with her; to run from her new group and Gareth's current one. She wanted to suggest they start a new life together with their child. But Anna thought back to Jenny and Judith and she hated herself for even thinking it.

Gareth stared at her with his deep brown eyes, bewildered before he smirked, "You are?"

Anna nodded, glancing down at her feet, "I found out this morning."

"So you didn't know when you left?" he wondered, stepping closer and looking deep into her eyes, placing her knife in his belt and then putting hands on each side of her face.

"N—no, I didn't. I don't think I would have if I'd known and I don't know why I did." She was almost being honest, but she noticed her words seemed to calm Gareth from his earlier anger towards her. Never had Gareth been angry towards her, and she knew she was lucky.

People Gareth got angry at usually sustained violent injury or disappeared altogether.

"You're coming back with us." Gareth told her, leaving no room for inquiry—his word usually _was_ final— but he ran his thumb under her eyes to clear her tears.

Anna was thankful she got to live, but it raised the question if after she gave birth—if she was still alive— would Gareth kill her then? And what was going to happen with everyone back at the church?

With Gareth back in the picture, Anna didn't know which side to choose that gave her a better chance at life. Although, with the baby in her womb, she should choose Gareth, the father, shouldn't she?

At the change of plans, Anna knew she was going to have to win back his affections and his trust if she was going to live after the birth.

Gareth smiled then, pulled her face close and kissed her, deeply elated with the news and that he could have her back with him. Anna returned the kiss, sighing in content before wrapping her arms around him.

She blamed the hormones before she hugged him tighter.

* * *

><p>Anna did not know what she was going to do, and fear crept back inside her. They shared brief conversations with each other on the way back to the church, and Anna was completely passive in following after him.<p>

Gareth had allowed Anna her knife back, and she immediately put it away, while Gareth held his gun in caution and in protection for the soon-to-be-mother. She understood with great knowing that Gareth was very protective over his family, and Anna was glad to have that—at least, for now.

Even though Gareth held onto Anna's wrist, he did so with care and in a loose fashion—she had already submitted to him and he knew her occasional weak-will would hold her by his side. He also could tell that she was craving protection, and now that he knew why, he felt inclined to give it to her. After all, she was giving him a great gift—a shining light in the bleak darkness of their current reality.

The church came into view through the trees, and at the sight Anna felt a degree of sadness. She was going to be leaving with Gareth, and she knew she was going to miss Judith.

She sighed deeply before falling back into step with Gareth, who eyed her curiously. However, this was not the time to be curious, he would ask her every question he had after they left with the others.

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><p>Back inside, everything was how it was when they left. The group were still at the door, guns drawn, waiting patiently for Gareth's return. They looked at Anna, some having their eyebrows raised before noticing Gareth's hold on her and they turned back to the door.<p>

"Sorry for the delay," Gareth chuckled, moving towards the door. "But that's your last chance to tell us your coming out."

A gun cocked and Anna glared at Martin from the corner of her eye. But she was helpless to them now, at the mercy of their own will. She would defend herself to the end, no doubt Gareth too, but she had left and her last group didn't seem to trust her like they had.

Annoyed, Martin asked, "Are we done?"

Gareth sighed, glancing at Martin before looking back at the door, "Right at the hinges."

And just as they were about to shoot the hinges, shots rang out and both group members by the door were shot in the head. They fell to the ground, and a startled Anna turned to find the source, Gareth and Martin turning to do the same.

They found darkness, but a voice undoubtedly Rick's spoke up commandingly, "Put your guns on the floor."

Gareth got on the defensive, pointing towards the door, "Rick, we'll fire right into that office, so you lower your guns!"

Another shot rang out, close enough to Anna where she instinctively ducked away from it. Gareth let out a sound of pain, dropping his gun and Anna saw that his index and middle finger had been shot off.

The lovers shared a fearful glance before Gareth pulled his hand towards his torso and let out another cry of pain, leaning over.

From the darkness, Rick emerged, gun aimed straight at them, "Put your guns on the floor and kneel."

From the ground, Gareth, in a pained voice told them, "Do what he says."

It was mostly directed towards Anna, who he feared would get shot and die if she did not listen. But she was stubborn and instead kneeled at his side, trying to comfort him.

However, the rest of Gareth's group listened and placed their guns upon the ground before kneeling.

More of Rick's group could be seen coming through the darkness, guns at the ready. They all looked very threatening and Anna swallowed thickly before looking back at Gareth.

"Martin, there's no choice here." Gareth told the man who had refused to do as told.

"Yeah, there is."

Anna mentally cursed the man whom she had never really liked. He was reckless and defiant, neither of which were meant in a good way.

Abraham came forward, gun aimed right at Martin, "Wanna bet?"

Smiling, Martin finally got to his knees with a snide chuckle. Rick's group came forward, Michonne to one side, Abraham at the other and Rick at the center with Sasha behind him. Rick walked until he was at the front and Gareth turned to look at him, but he was still on his hands and knees, Anna aiding him along.

Gareth glanced at Anna before looking up at Rick, "No point in begging, right?"

"No."

Rick's answer sent Anna's numb mind into a feverish heat that had the ice melting quickly. More were going to die tonight, that she was almost certain of, but she hoped with her every being it wasn't going to be her and Gareth. But with Rick's harsh gaze set on Gareth, Anna knew she was going to have to hope for a miracle.

"Still, you could'a killed us when you came in, there has to be a reason for that." Gareth kept fidgeting because of the pain, and Anna wished she would get to tend to it later. At least, he would be alive.

"We didn't want to waste the bullets." came Rick's reply.

Anna squeezed her eyes shut for a fraction of a second, her heart picking up in pace.

"We used to help people,"

Anna could tell Gareth was trying to plead his way out of this; find a little bit of sympathy. It was really all they had left, at this point.

"we still help people." Gareth continued. "Things changed, they came in—ah—"

Anna could not tell if he broke off because of the pain in his hand or the trauma of the event. An event that had ended a week before Anna and Jenny arrived, and it was by sheer luck they had missed it.

"After that, I know you've been out there but I can see it. You don't know what it is to be hungry,"

Rick smiled with a small shake of his head.

"You don't have to do this, we can walk away. And we will never cross paths again. I promise you. Come on, I'm going to be a father."

At the word, Anna's head snapped in Gareth's direction and Rick's snapped to meet Anna's. Anna could feel everyone's eyes watching her as her breathing hitched and she swallowed hard. Her gazed turned back to Rick, who was staring at her.

"Is that true?" Rick whispered to her, a bite to his tone.

Looking away from his gaze, she could only nod. It caused Rick to sigh, but his underlying rage towards Gareth still stood strong and steady. Rick looked back at Gareth and continued,

"When you cross someones path?" Rick wondered, his eyes becoming slits for a brief moment, before he raised his gun to Gareth's head and then lowered it. "You do this to anyone, right?"

Rick moved forward, one hand on a red-handled knife that Anna stared at for a moment before looking back up at Rick from her place on the ground, her cheeks hot and her palms sweaty.

"Besides, I already made you a promise." Rick unsheathed the long red-handled knife and swung his arm forward.

Before Gareth cried out "No!", he shoved Anna backwards and away from the attack. Anna was laying on the ground, about to get to her feet when she saw Rick brutally kill the love of her life. Rick's group also started killing the others, who screamed as they died, but there was a high pitched ringing in the air Anna couldn't identify.

She was staring helplessly as the blood splattered, landing on everything close by, including herself. She watched as Rick came back with the knife, again and again, on Gareth's body. Rick was covered in Gareth's blood when he stopped, heaving for breath and everything went silent except for the high pitched noise.

However, in the silence, Anna realized the high pitched ringing was herself screaming.


	11. ELEVEN

**Thank you, Prettyprincess45, and Jofrench22 thank you and you're welcome (I try to update regularly, plus I love writing this!)**

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><p><strong>ELEVEN:<strong>

Anna cut off screaming when she ran out of air, and it had left her throat raw and in pain. But no pain could match the one in her heart, or the burning hatred that ignited within her soul. Her chest ached so unbearably much, her thudding heart pounding in her ears and throbbing in her chest.

Her eyes were leaking down her cheeks, her face contorted in the painful sorrow that was reflected inside her. She was whimpering as a hole dug its way into her heart and through her soul, a strong sense of loss washing over her and making her cry harder.

On weak knees, Anna tried to stand, but failed when her shaking legs gave out and instead crawled over to Gareth's mangled body. She didn't care about the looks the group were giving her, especially the one of realization from Michonne—who suddenly understood her morning sickness— she just _needed_ to get to Gareth's side.

She crawled across the spilled blood on the floor and to the body of her lover. Tears blurred her vision and she tried to blink them away to see, but it was useless as they just kept coming.

"That could'a been us." Rick's voice carried, his careful eyes watching Anna.

"Yeah," Sasha was the only one who answered, and Rick placed the blade back in its holder.

Maggie and Tara looked detached from the situation, staring around at the bodies. Their guns might have been raised during the showdown, but they fired no bullets and they attacked zero. Glenn had also stood back, and was watching Rick carefully.

Gareth was laying on his right side, his head facing upward and his eyes closed. Anna approached from the back and she gasped in horror when she saw the damage that had been done. His guts were hanging out and some were on the floor, and the state of it only fueled the flame inside her.

Anna sat back on her legs before she reached out and touched Gareth's shoulder, pulling his body so he was mostly laying on his back. Anna couldn't stop the sob that escaped her lips then.

She grabbed his right hand and intertwined their fingers, his blood smearing onto her skin. His hand was still warm, but it was still and lifeless, and Anna squeezed his hand and bowed her head, crying further. She hoped to wake up back at Terminus, or somewhere else where he was still alive.

Anna would have killed for that.

With her head on his shoulder, holding his hand and leaning over him, Anna was left in her own little world of misery, regrets and sorrow. She was rocking back and forth, rubbing circles on the back of his hand absentmindedly.

Father Gabriel walked from the office, and stared at the horror around him. He leaned up against the wall, and that's when he caught sight of the woman clinging to a dead body. He bowed his head in sympathy.

Rick, who sighed, glanced over at Anna before stepping towards her. He crouched down on the opposite side of her, his hands folded in front of him. He was silent for a moment, wondering if she had taken notice to his presence, and she had, she was just trying to ignore Gareth's murderer.

"You understand that if were not for the fact that you're pregnant, we would'a killed you?" Rick wanted to instill that into her mind, as for the fact that she was going to have a baby had stopped him from killing her too.

He had seen Anna flea to the forest, Gareth on her tail. He also watched them return together, hand-in-hand. And add to the fact that she stood by his side when everything went down, well, let's just say he was angry. The minimal trust he had for her was now gone, and most of the group shared that feeling.

Anna's eyes rose to meet Rick's before they turned into angry slits. It took all she had to not grab her knife and kill him with it, but she kept a semi-cool head because the rest of the group was around to defend him.

"I figured." she snarled, her right hand clenching into a fist as her left gripped tighter onto Gareth's.

Rick's lips turned downward at the attitude, although he understood, but that didn't mean that he liked that she had went and stayed by Gareth's side.

Anna had kept her seething eyes on Rick, but glanced down at Gareth after a moment, her face softening. She stared for a second, before looking back up at Rick, who hadn't moved. She rolled her tongue over her teeth, parted her lips and wetted them, before she went to make an angry remark at him,

Rick interrupted with a hard tone, "_Look_, you're no good on your own—given that you are pregnant— and I'm going to _allow_ you to stay. However, you are to never go off on your own and never step out of line."

Anna considered this a prison sentence for every wrong thing she had done in life and it didn't seem like Rick was giving her much of a choice here. Anna didn't know why he had let her stay, but she hated to admit he was right: she _was_ no good on her own.

She nodded curtly and looked away from Rick and back to Gareth.

With a sigh, Rick got up and walked to the office to see his children. Bob was also in there, still alive and breathing, and he requested to talk to Rick and the others filed out.

Anna sniffled, bringing both hands to the one she held and she kissed the back of it. She closed her eyes for a moment before carefully laying Gareth's hand back at his side. She looked down at his knife that was on his hip and she unbuckled it.

It was considerably larger than the rest of her knives, but a deal smaller than the red-handled one Rick had. She gripped the knife holder tightly in her hands, bringing it towards her face where she rested the handle on her forehead and closed her eyes.

After a few moments more, she opened her eyes and placed the knife on her belt, right on her right hip. She ran her thumb over the grooves in the handle, staring into the space in front of her.

She looked back at Gareth's body and wondered what on Earth she was going to do.

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><p>Anna could not sleep, and found that she was rather restless with Gareth's body still inside the church, after she used a screwdriver through his ear so he wouldn't come back— she didn't wish to see him like that. The group had started to clean up the bodies, and were no doubt going to burn them outside. Anna did not want that for Gareth.<p>

So Anna gathered up her courage that had been damaged during the fight and walked over to Tara. Tara didn't seem very intimidating and Anna found her approachable. Anna knew she couldn't ask Rick the question she was about to ask, frankly because she couldn't get herself to.

"Hey, Tara," Anna said on approach, "could you come with me outside?"

Rick had informed the other about never leaving Anna alone, and to tell him if she stepped out of line in _any_ way.

"Sure." Tara agreed, grabbing her gun and following the blonde outside, where it was still dark but the sun was rising.

Anna had seen the shovel upon arrival at the church, but never thought anything of it until a few hours ago. She had wanted to bury Gareth, and even though the group did not like Gareth and probably wouldn't smile on her action, she didn't care. She was going to try her hardest; go as far as she could with it.

She didn't want the group to _burn_ him.

At the edge of the woods, shovel in hand, Anna started digging. She had estimated the length and width she would need, and she teared up as she got further down.

"You're going to bury him?" Tara spoke up, confusion in her tone.

Anna wanted to answer sarcastically, but given the circumstances she couldn't find it in her to be sarcastic. Instead, she said, "I want to."

Tara frowned, but said nothing against it. "I can respect that."

Surprised, Anna looked up from her work, "You can?"

Tara shrugged, "You loved him, you're pregnant with his child, of course you'd want to bury him. It's the only normal thing you got left."

Anna considered this, and thought it over as she began working again. Tara was right; back before the world went to hell, people buried their dead, it was what you did with loved ones unless they wished otherwise. It was a normal reaction to the death of a close one, and since the dead walking around wasn't normal, Anna did the only thing in the situation that was: mourn and bury.

That's what kept her digging; the taste of normalcy and the love to see Gareth put to rest after his brutal death.

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><p>After an hour, Michonne had joined them and by that time Anna had finished digging the perfect hole and creating a gravemarker, which were some thick sticks, long and thin logs and some flowers.<p>

Anna then went inside, Tara and Michonne following silently, where she managed to roll Gareth onto a blanket and drag him to the stairs. Feeling sympathy for the grieving mother-to-be, both Michonne and Tara helped carry Gareth's body outside to his grave.

He was laid gently and Anna had given both women a look that asked them to give her some space. They granted her that, but stayed close in case she decided to run.

Anna placed another blanket over Gareth's body before pulling it down to just his neck and she kissed him once on the lips and one on his forehead. She placed the blanket back over his face before she hauled herself out of the six-foot grave.

She looked down and said a farewell to him in her head, something that brought forth so many memories that she started crying. Taking a breath, Anna proceeded to fill back in the grave until it was filled. She placed the grave-marker where his head was, where she had carved his name into the wood the best she could. Anna even went to extra mile and placed the long and thin logs around the grave, along with flowers overtop.

Anna swore when everything was over, she would come back and give him a proper headstone.

* * *

><p>Wiping her tears away, Anna started back to the church. The group had watched her work every so often while they were doing theirs, and it created mixed feelings. In the beginning, all Anna wanted to do was help them and they were grateful, but as soon as Gareth came back she betrayed them. She wasn't exactly everyone's favorite person at the moment.<p>

Anna sat down on the church's front steps, were both Michonne and Tara sat down next to her.

"Keep yourself hydrated," Michonne told Anna, handing her a bottle of water that Anna took gratefully.

"Thank you," Anna managed to smile at them. "Really, thank you both."

It wasn't about the water, and they knew that. It was the small acts of kindness that gave Anna the slightest hope that things might be okay in the future.

"We understand." Michonne told her, with a small smile.

From Michonne's eyes, Anna could tell that Michonne had been through some bad things—like everyone else— but Michonne didn't seem to be lying when she told Anna that.

Anna nodded and took a gulp of water, staring out into the forest where the sunlight was already starting to shine through the trees.

It was then that Glenn informed them that Bob had passed away, and Sasha had already started Bob's grave, at the opposite end of where Gareth was. When she finished it was noon and Abraham and the others were leaving on the bus for D.C. Tara was going to be leaving with them, and Anna felt a slight loss when she climbed onto the bus with a simple smile in Anna's direction.

Abraham had given Rick a map of their road to D.C so that they could catch up when everyone had returned. Rick assured they would be there as soon as they could, and Anna hoped the mess would be over soon.

The bus disappeared around the bend and everyone went back inside or back to work. Anna stuck closely to Michonne, who minded slightly, but didn't let on. Anna seemed to want to help, and really had nothing left, so Michonne decided to be friendly. Michonne may have hated Gareth, but Anna loving Gareth didn't make her a monster too.

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><p>That night, Anna found herself overly tired, but she found herself outside with Michonne after dinner. No words passed between them, just silence, but both parties were perfectly content with that. They were both consumed in their own thoughts; Anna struggling to find a way to redeem herself in Rick's eyes. She wanted to trust and respect again, but was unsure how exactly to get it back.<p>

There was a rustling from the leaves near the church, that had both women to their feet in seconds. Michonne grabbed her katana, and Anna pulled Gareth's knife from its holder. Michonne glanced at Anna and nodded, and they both started towards the noise, stepping silently.

They got to the edge when the rustling became louder. It was either a person or a walker, they were not sure.

But, it was Daryl who emerged, and Michonne released a relieved breath. However, Anna's gut twisted; here was Rick's right-hand man, who would be filled in on what went down, making him just another person Anna had to redeem herself to.

"Where's Carol?" Michonne asked.

"Come on out."


	12. TWELVE

**Thank you guest for the review on the last chapter, they really help! Due to bad WiFi, I could not update sooner, so sorry (and this is short, but I wanted to get something out after my long absence)! And because other works (like school, other stories and my job), after this update I will only be updating every Sunday, sorry!**

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><p><strong>TWELVE:<strong>

The one who had been hiding was a boy by the name of Noah. It had surprised the group, mostly because it was someone they did not know exactly who he was and if he had an end game. However, that morning, Rick put the kid to work on helping them fortify the church.

Sasha was not coping well, and was luckily taking her pent up frustration on chopping up the benches with an axe. Tyreese and Daryl had started taking apart the organ, using the pipes to place around the front stairs, as they had sharp ends.

The night Daryl and Noah showed up, Rick had pulled Daryl aside and told him all that went down. From Anna and Gareth to Bob and Abraham; all was told. It sent Daryl into a high alert whenever he was around Anna, and into having a watchful eye when she was not.

Anna thought she could bury her problems with Gareth, and act normally. It was, however, proving very difficult, as Rick's face sent her memories resurfacing and her anger boiling back up again. She had once thought Terminus was her hell, but she was beginning to think that being near Rick was the worst thing she could ever endure. She could make no movement that seemed threatening or any action that seemed traitorous.

It took all she had to _just keep silent_.

Michonne and Anna worked together outside, beside Rick and Carl. There had been a plan for a group to go into Atlanta, a place they discovered was holding Beth and now Carol, while others stayed back and guarded the church.

Later that afternoon, Rick bid his goodbye's to his children, and Michonne who were staying behind, as was the priest. Anna insisted that she go with Rick and the others, and it didn't take much fight; Anna was good with her knives, plus Rick's group was of capable people in case Anna decided to turn on them.

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><p>The group bound for Atlanta were in a car, Rick and Daryl upfront, while the others were in the back compartment, sitting mostly silently. Anna was running her hands over Gareth's knife that she had out, running her fingers along the blade with distant eyes and a faraway mind.<p>

The pain in Anna's chest was ever present, and her soul wept and her heart mourned, her mind racing through her memories like they were photos in a book. All her emotions, though, were kept quietly beneath her skin and inside her mind, and she dared not even let one show.

They arrived in Atlanta very discreetly, and decided to take base in an abandoned building (although they were all abandoned). They were setting up their plan and making sure everyone was good with it.

"At sundown we fire a shot into the air," Rick told them, kneeling down. "we get two of them out on patrol, then it'll be dark enough so the rooftop spotter won't see us, then we go. We cut the locks on one of the stairways and take it to the fifth floor. I open the door, Daryl takes the guard out."

"How?" Tyreese asked.

"This is all about doing this quiet," Which was one of the only reasons Rick was glad to have Anna with them, "keeping the upper hand. They're not expecting us. From there we fan out, knives and silent weapons. We need to be fast," Rick stressed.

Anna may not have known Beth, all she did know was that Beth was apart of this group and that she felt it was her duty to protect and help her. Maybe then she could earn her spot among them, or at least, become less of an outsider. If she was going to be with the group through her pregnancy and passed that, they were all going to have to get along, or be civil enough to coexist.

Rick drew in the concrete that was layered in dust and dirt, showing them the place. He drew "x"'s that represented group members. "Tyreese, Sasha, take them. Daryl, Anna, you take care of anyone in the kitchen. I'll take care of Dawn. If they're smart, the rest of 'em will give up then. Six on three, seven on three once we get a weapon to Beth."

"Thirteen on three. They'll want to help." Noah told them.

"That's best case," said Tyreese. "what's worst cast? All it takes is one of those cops going down the hall at the wrong time, then it's not quiet. All hands on deck, we're talkin' about a lot of bullets flyin' around."

Anna's nose screwed up for a second. She wasn't a fan of using guns, considering they weren't exactly subtle, plus if you ran out of ammo you were pretty much screwed. Anna much preferred her knife, but considering the show that was about to go down, she didn't entirely mind having a gun at her side.

"If that's what it takes." Sasha commented.

"It's not." Tyreese suggested, "If we get a couple of her cops—alive, out here— we do an even trade. Theirs for ours. Everybody goes home."

Anna like the plan, a plan she wished they had used with Gareth, but she also didn't want to risk it. Dead men tell no tales; they also don't go looking for you.

Rick stood, "I get it. And it might work. _This_ will work."

"Nah, that'll work too." Daryl said, causing Anna to raise an eyebrow; usually Daryl agreed with Rick, as far as she knew. "You say this Dawn is trying to keep it together, right?"

Noah nodded, "Tryin' and doin' are two different things."

"You take two of her cops away, what choices does she have? Everybody goes home, like he said." Daryl pointed to Tyreese.

An agreement seemed to settle over them, and even though Anna never voiced her opinion—although, _who would listen?_— she seemed to agree.


	13. THIRTEEN

**R&R? It really helps me to know what you guys are thinking, so please review?**

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><p><strong>THIRTEEN: <strong>

Their plan was sent into action, with a Noah and a gun to draw out the police patrollers. Noah limped, but tried his hardest to run after firing another shot. Although risky, because the noise attracted Walkers, it was a risk all were willing to take.

The police car bumped into Noah as it skidded to a halt, blocking him, and the two officers got out, guns drawn.

"Put it down, Noah."

"Put the gun down!"

Noah stopped, turned and put the gun down onto the pavement.

"Hands up, turn around."

Noah did as instructed as they approached him. The male officer went to cuff Noah, but made sure they were not too tight, and even asked Noah to tell him if they were.

"Though you were smart, Noah, thought no one would hear you?" asked the female officer, her gun still drawn.

Daryl whistled, calling the attention of the three, and they turned to face Rick, Sasha, Daryl, Tyreese, Anna and their guns. Both officers pointed their weapons at the group, a little startled.

"Hands." said Rick calmly.

"What do you want?" asked the female officer.

"Whatever this is," started the male officer. "we can help."

"Do what we say, we don't hurt you." Rick told them, with hard features.

It took a few seconds for the male officer to comply, who put his hands up, and the female followed suit.

"Good, now turn around," Rick and the others inched closer. "and put your guns on the floor. Kneel."

Both officers did as told, and started to get to their knees as the group circled them, their guns staying up the entire time. Both Daryl and Sasha moved to grab the guns and then cuff them, while Tyreese helped uncuff Noah from the zip-ties.

"We need to talk." Rick said, letting his arms drop to his side with his gun. "Water if you need some, food."

Noah grabbed his gun from the ground, and Anna nodded at him, wondering if he was okay, to which Noah nodded back.

"Let me ask you somethin'." started the male officer, who was lifted to his feet by Daryl. "The way you talk, the way you carry yourself, are you a cop?" When Rick said nothing, he continued, "Believe it or not, I was too."

Anna was marginally surprised by hear that Rick was a cop before all this. She had noticed his commanding presence and how he carried himself, but she assumed it was because of what had happened not what had been.

"That's Lamson," Noah told Rick, walking up next to him. "he'll be down for this. He's one of the good ones."

Just then a blue car sped down where they were, headed straight at them. Startled, the group only froze for a second, before they started shooting at it. Anna had been delayed a second more, startled again by the loud echo of gunfire, before she raised the gun Rick gave her and started shooting.

The group had to get out of the way of the oncoming car and took cover by things that were left behind. Anna shot into the window, which revealed both officers getting inside, but it also revealed the cop driving, who was shooting through the open window.

As the car started its retreat, the group jumped out and started shooting at the tires, however it was Sasha who shot out a tire first.

Anna started running after the car, Rick by her side and the others behind them. After rounding a corner, Rick held up a hand and they stopped. Anna looked up at the skyline, where she saw an 'EVAC HERE' spray painted on a water tower on the top of a two-story building.

In the street were dead bodies—some of which were moving— and abandoned cars, but one in particular, that had it's doors open and no one in sight.

They started walking, guns drawn and eyes alert, and some of the bodies with missing legs started grabbing at them. They were a fleshy pink, with black marks that made them look like they had been burned. Anna felt a sickening feeling rise in her stomach; she hated seeing the decayed and rotting Walkers. They never failed to make her squeamish, and add to the fact of her morning sickness, all Anna wanted to do was sit down, but she forced herself forward, avoiding looking at the bodies. Yet their constant moaning and growling reminded Anna they were there and never going away.

They caught sight of the fleeing officers and started after them. However, after hearing a noise inside the car, Daryl stopped to investigate. Daryl then walked towards a camper, inspecting it. He opened the door, and looked inside, but didn't see anything.

Coming from behind the door, the officer who had been driving, jumped and attacked Daryl, who was taken off guard. They started attacking each other, and the officer got Daryl to the ground, were his head was scarily close to a Walker, who was now trying to feed.

Noticing Daryl was no longer with them, Anna made an annoyed sigh, looked over at Rick before turning around and running back to where they had come. Since they had been distracted, no group member noticed her form running in the opposite direction.

Anna saw the camper and turned with her gun drawn, where the sight of Daryl on the ground greeted her. She tried to get a shot at the officer, but there was a risk of accidentally shooting Daryl.

Frowning, Anna put the gun in the holster on her left side. She made a split second decision on grabbing Gareth's knife on her right side, instead of her own knives in the back of her belt, she ran forward to attack.

Running forward, Anna pushed the officer off of Daryl, and ended up falling with him, but her hands and knees caught her before she could fall. Gripping the knife tighter, she raised it above her head and plunged the knife into his abdomen. He let out a surprised gasp, then hit Anna in her shoulder, knocking her off balance and to the ground.

She was now dangerously close to being eaten by a Walker, but a shot rang out and the Walker beside her fell limp. Gasping she turned to look for the cause and saw Rick, who finally noticed both Daryl and Anna missing and came to investigate.

Rick aimed his gun at the officer, who was on his knees, and then he raised his arms.

"Okay," said the officer, "you win, asshole."

The officer then got to his feet, staring down the barrel of Rick's gun, and Rick's face was hard and dangerous.

"Rick." Daryl said, on his hands and knees. "Rick!"

Daryl got to his feet, and Anna followed suit, still watching the scene in front of her with cautious eyes. Daryl walked behind the officer, then looked at Rick.

"Three's better than two." said Daryl, nodding.

Rick looked at Daryl, gave a ghost of a smile before dropping his gun. Then Daryl zip-tied the officers hands, who winced because of the wound Anna had given him. The deep wound was bleeding, and it was seeping into his uniform.

Daryl pushed the officer forward, and Rick pulled Anna next to him, stepping quickly to keep up with Daryl.

"Better warn me next time," Rick told her. "You both could'a died."

Anna's nose crinkled, jerking away from Rick's grip on her arm, "But we didn't."

Rick frowned and Anna put her knife away, bringing her gun back out, but leaving it at her side. Annoyance was growing in her stomach, which was still unsettled and churning, and Anna just wanted to get back to their base.

"Yet you risked dying," Rick's sentence dropped off, but Anna knew where it was headed, it didn't really take a genius; he was talking about her being pregnant and risking that by attacking.

"Just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean I'm useless and it _certainly doesn't mean_ I'm going to cower away." Anna's tone had a poisonous bite to it.

Rick sighed, but kept him mouth shut, and Anna, angrier than she had been, stepped quicker to get away from him. She stepped into pace with the officer and Daryl, leaving Rick behind her.


End file.
